


Not So Villainous

by PsychoLynx



Category: Descendants (Disney Movies), Maleficent (Disney Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Isle of the Lost (Disney), Romance, Slow Burn, Some Fluff, Strangers to Lovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-02
Updated: 2020-04-04
Packaged: 2021-02-23 05:34:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 3,920
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23439817
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PsychoLynx/pseuds/PsychoLynx
Summary: Life had been a whirlwind. Whisked off to the Isle of the Lost, Maleficent finds herself forced to don her villainous persona for protection. But could a blue haired someone see that she's not so villainous after all?
Relationships: Hades/Maleficent (Disney)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 80





	1. Chapter 1

Aurora stood on her balcony, gazing at the army standing outside the castle walls. She turned to her godmother—the woman who raised her.

“I guess your request for asylum has been denied.”

She began to make her way back indoors. So much had changed in the past few months. King Beast had gathered up the Kingdoms into a united nation. He had sold them on promises of trade and prosperity for all people. Accept and be part of the solution.

How foolish she had been.

“Come,” Maleficent beckoned “You had no way of knowing he would do this.”

She nodded. In theory, rounding up all the villains and sending them someplace they couldn’t hurt anybody sounded great, but she had no say in who was considered a villain.

“Aurora,” Maleficent swallowed hard “I am going to go willingly.”

“I can’t let them take you,” Aurora yelled as tears welled up in her eyes “I’ve heard about the Isle. It’s a slum with no magic.”

“I know, I know, but if I fight here, then I will always be a villain in the eyes of the King. If I go, you could argue on my behalf.”

“That could take months, years even. I can’t live without you.”

“You can,” she cupped her daughter’s face in her hand “It’s a mother’s job to teach a child how to.”

Tears ran down Aurora’s face as she shook her head. She wasn’t losing her mother. She couldn’t.

A caw was heard, and Diaval went in for the landing.

“Into a man,” Maleficent waved her hand, enabling Diaval to land on human feet.

“I scouted the walls. We are surrounded, Mistress,”—he leaned in— “Merlin is here.”

Maleficent straightened. Wizards used a different magic than fae. Fae used themselves as beacons, consistently putting out a steady amount. Wizards used themselves as Tesla coils, letting dangerous bursts into the surroundings. 

“Some of the fairies in the Moors are willing to become dragons to fend them off. It could buy enough time to escape.”

Maleficent shook her head “Nobody is dying tonight. I can’t risk a massacre on either side.”

“She wants to go willingly,” Aurora choked out.

Diaval snapped his head to Maleficent “What about us? We can’t let you do that!”

Maleficent gripped her staff white knuckled. The decision was hard enough as it was. She didn’t need their protesting when it was the only option (aside from going down fighting and risking the kingdom in a needless battle).

“It will all be okay.”—Maleficent turned between them both— “I will go to the Isle, I will live there as long as needed, and I will return to both of—”

Maleficent felt an energy hit her chest. Her vision became spotted as she tried to reorient herself. 

Aurora screamed. Diaval caught Maleficent. Wind filled the room.

Merlin floated onto the balcony.

“Your time is up, Maleficent,” he cried as he raised a knotted staff almost as long as his beard.

“You can’t do this!” Aurora cried, putting herself between Merlin and Maleficent.

“ _ _ _Magic staff to things most vile, send this fae onto the Isle___!”

Merlin’s staff crashed onto the stone floor. A snake of magic slithered itself under Aurora’s feet to Maleficent.

Maleficent gasped as her feet became dust, then her shins, then her knees. All of it being whisked away out the window as it was created. She could barely breathe. With the last of her energy, she lifted her hand to Diaval.

“Into a raven.”

His hands disappeared with hers. His wings sprouted as hers blew away.

* * *

Maleficent awoke in the middle of a grimey street, the smell of mildew climbing in her nose. She looked around at ramshackle tenements and stores with bars on their windows.

 _ _ _This must be the Isle___ , Maleficent said as she rose. She touched her back, relieved to find every part of her present.

“You’re still you, Toots.”

She looked to a chipped, horn foot bathtub off the side of the road with two leather boots sticking out.

“My name isn’t ‘Toots,’ and you will not call me such.”

A blue punk hair rose from the tub with guyliner underneath. She had never seen anyone look so...vulgar.

“Well how can I call you by your name if I don’t know it?”

Maleficent cocked her head. Someone who had never heard the tale of Maleficent?

“Maleficent.”

“Quite a mouthful,” he said as he shifted so his legs were in the tub and his arms hung over the side “Mind if I just call you Mal?”

“I do,” she spat “Because Mal is not my name.”

“Woah there,” Hades put his hands up “Just a simple question.” He snickered “Don’t suppose you’ve heard of Hades?”

She shook her head.

“No one around here seems to. Then again, there aren’t many people around here yet.”

“Less people have to see you in ___that___ the better.”

“The only reason the tub is here is because it couldn’t fit through the door. Walk up and down the street and you’ll see a lot of supplies.” he flopped back in the bath “It’s like they expect us to finish the buildings.”

“I was referring to your clothes.”

“I could say the same about you.”

Maleficent rolled her eyes “Of all the people on this rock, how have I gotten so lucky as to meet you?”

“Just you wait,” Hades grinned as he put on a pair of shades “A whole different circus is coming.”

* * *

A circus it was indeed.

Maleficent could barely take two steps without finding a formally well-to-do person wronged by a step child, a witch, or a common street rat in love with a royal. Everyone there had vied for power. Everyone there had lost.

Except her.

She had lost without playing the game.

She walked through the bazaar in search of food that had not yet rotten when she bumped into someone.

“Watch where you're going!” the young man in the white waistcoat exclaimed.

“Watch where ___I’m___ going,” Maleficent snapped. She had had a week of this place and had already become fed up “Watch where ___I’m___ going!”—Maleficent stretched her wings as her golden eyes bore down on the man— “When you see me walking, you are to step aside. Am I clear?”

The man remained silent.

“I said, am I clear?”

The man nodded before scurrying away. He was probably just some royal stuck here after a coup left them out of favor.

Maleficent continued on with her path, only to quickly spy an apple cart with barely bruised fruit. She raised one to eye level. It was practically perfect.

“Take it!”

She stared at the vendor. He was absolutely trembling at the sight of her.

“Don’t hurt me, Maleficent.”

She blinked. She looked around to find everyone had frozen to see what she would do. 

She bit into the apple and put it back before walking away. They had all heard the stories. Even without magic, she was feared because it wasn’t the magic that made her Maleficent; it was her reputation. A single snap proved it in their minds. A single bite enforced the image.

She must keep the mask to keep safe.

* * *

Maleficent stood from her balcony and gazed down at the bustling bazaar. She had simply walked into the castle to get away from the eyes. It was empty, so it was hers.

 _ _ _Finders keepers___ she thought. ___No harm done if it’s unclaimed___.

She heard a knock at the door. She waved her hand to open it.

Nothing.

She sighed. Old habits.

The castle she had claimed was more of a flat. It was the second story with the first being an empty storefront. Perhaps she could become a landlord or even create a business for income.

She opened the door to find the blue haired man from before.

“Haily,” she smirked.

“Hades,” he grumbled 

“I know, and what’s my name?”

“Magnificent!” he exclaimed.

“I’ll take it,” she opened the door the rest of the way and gestured to him to come in.

Hades complied and promptly plopped on an understuffed couch and put his foot on the coffee table.

Maleficent snapped and pointed at his boot.

Hades put his boot on the ground “You’re different from the others, ya’ know?”

“How so?”

“That stunt you pulled with Hans. You were angry, but you calmed down quickly afterwards.”

“I try not to let my anger get the best of me.”

“Exactly!” he exclaimed “Everyone on the island lets their hate fester. They plan revenge schemes for years. You snapped and moved on.”

“He wasn’t worth my time,” Maleficent grinned. It was true. Outbursts were common for her, yes, but she had tried not to do anything she would regret since cursing Aurora.

“That may be so, but you still didn’t hurt him,” Hades patted the cushion next to him.

Maleficent didn’t budge.

“I know we got off on the wrong foot.”

“We’re still on the wrong foot.”

“But I think we could do something together. Run this place.”

She laughed “You?”

“I’ll have you know that I used to run the Underworld. Every soul of everyone who had ever died was under my control, and I kept things running smoothly. All I need is your reputation.”

Maleficent taunted him with one finger. Hades rose and got closer.

“Goodbye,” she grabbed him by the leather jacket and dragged him out the door, slamming it shut behind her.


	2. Chapter 2

Maleficent sorted through the groceries the goblin had delivered to her. People had begun paying their own “tolerance taxes” to her without her even asking. She had no idea that people so feared (Jafar, Cruella, etc) could be so afraid themselves.

She sorted through the brown bananas and stale bread the pig nosed goblin had brought her. The little gremlin grinned proud of his exploits like a kid showing his mother the picture he’d made in art class.

“This will do,” she said flatly “You are excused.”

The goblin scurried off to the door.

She sighed as she gazed upon her ramshackle palace. It was a bargain castle to say the least (one of those manufactured homes that would pop up around the kingdom for barons too big for their britches), but it had begun to fill itself with boxes of junk she had accepted from the islefolk. 

She finally took a moment to sit on the couch, trying her best to ignore the feeling of wire on her bottom. She closed her eyes. 

___It’s all temporary___ she reminded herself ___A month or two at most___.

She rubbed her temples, any amount of time she said now was arbitrary, but she was riding denial as long as she could.

A knock at the door snapped her out of it. She straightened up, getting back into character.

“Enter!”

“Woah there,” a suave voice said as the door swung open.

She rolled her eyes.

“You again.”

“The one and only,” Hades said as he sauntered in “I hear your demanding gifts now.”

She waited for the door to creak close before speaking “I’ll have you know that all of these things were relinquished upon their owners’ request.”

“So formal,” he grinned as he took the seat next to her “Doesn’t having your nose up for so long hurt your neck?”

She gave a wicked laugh “I wouldn’t know; looking down on you cancels things out.”

Hades pointed “Aye! That’s the kind of talk I like.”

“You like being the but of the joke?”

“I like witty comebacks. One could even say I’m the king of burns.” He flicked his wrist, but nothing happened “If this was the real world, I’d be holding fire now.”

She grinned “You’re even dumber than I believed.”

“Watch it! You could hurt my feelings. But…”—his put his arm around Maleficent— “I could ignore all of that in exchange for a date.”

Maleficent used her wing to push Hades away “You could leave and not have to listen to them anymore, too.”

Hades got up “I guess, but mark my words. I am getting that date.”

Maleficent waved him off “And I am getting impatient.”


	3. Chapter 3

People had begun hooking up with each other (claiming more like). Love meant nothing to a villain, and marriage equated alliances. 

Maleficent looked upon the market below. That Hans fellow was trying to haggle with Jafar (who had already stolen enough to set up a shop in the space below her. Staring through the opera glassed Cruella had given her as payment, he saw he was trying to get a ring so thin it might as well have been made of string.

The poor woman.

She heard a knock at her door. 

“Go away, Hades,” she called without looking away.

“Already inside, Darling.” She heard his boots clomp across her floor “So, what’s on the TV today.”

“Five feet, Hades.”

The boot sounds shifted as Hades positioned himself on the other side of the balcony, maintaining the mandatory bubble.

“What have you heard about that Hans fellow?”

“Hooked up the Tremaine girl. Her 30th birthday was last week, and he honed in on her desperation.”

“Nobody deserves a coward like him.”

“You haven’t met Drizella. Shrill, bossy, crude, it’s a match made in—”

“If you say your name, I throw off the balcony.”

Hades grinned “Gonna need a date for the wedding.”

“I won’t be going.”

“No desire to bless the union.”

She pulled the glasses away “Perhaps I’ll go to their child’s christening.”

* * *

Maleficent listened to the bell tower chime as beaming Drizella and a woeful Hans got pelted with whatever alternatives to rice people could scrounge together (dead flowers, fall leaves, dirt). She would regret not going if she knew or cared about either of them.

The newlyweds got into a rickshaw pulled by two miserable goblins and rode off.

“Glad we didn’t go.”

It was a statement, Maleficent knew, but she couldn’t help but respond.

“Very. This dress would never get clean.”

Hades leaned on the balcony, a risky two feat away “Had that Frollo guy not come in at the last minute, they might have made you justice of the peace.”

“What makes you say that?”

“You rule this town. If anyone has the authority to bind two people in unhappy monogamy, it’s you.”

“Flattered.”

She turned to look at Hades a moment. He was gazing off at where the carriage had been longingly.

“Did you have someone before this?”

Hades ran his hand through his hair “Sorta.”

“Yes, then.”

“I had my ex-wife, Persephone. Nice girl and all, but we were too young. She still came to Hades to visit in the winter. But she was just using my place to get away from her mom.”

“I’m sorry about that.”

“It happened a thousand years ago. No use in fretting about it now.”

Maleficent stared at the rock star persona in front of her. Perhaps, there was more behind those guylinered eyes.

“I will go on one date with you.”

“I don’t want your pity.”

“You should know by now I don’t give pity. I want a real and proper date. I want to go out for a nice dinner—nicest you can find on this rock—and I want you to make me feel like a nice lady.”

Hades was taken aback “You’re serious?”

“Always.”

“The only restaurant on the Isle is Ursela’s Fish n Chips, but I will make you feel like a lady.”

“You better. Otherwise, we’ll have to go back to the five foot bubble.

* * *

Hades adjusted the collar on his leather jacket for the dozenth time outside of Maleficent’s door. He had never had to work this hard for a woman before, and he honestly didn’t know he had it in him.

He held up his hand to knock, only to have the door open for him.

“I’ve heard your jacket out here rustling for the past five minute,” Maleficent said with amusement “Was that or this the first part of our night out.”

“Was the rustling endearing?”

“Hmm...No.”

“Then this would be the start then.”

Hades held out his arm to escort her, only to have Maleficent switch the hands of her staff so that it was between them.

“Independent lady, then,” Hades said with chagrin as he lowered his arm “I like.”

“You better. I have no intention of changing for a man.”

“Another thing we have in common; I have no intention of changing for a man either.”

* * *

Ursula's little fish shack was a shipwreck, and the fact that most of the interior design was from wrecked ships that washed ashore was not helping her case.

Maleficent had not been fond of water since being shot down into the sea by Queen Ingrith’s forces, but she tried not to let her distaste show (much like any other emotion).

“Welcome to Ursula’s,” a gargoyle said as they entered “Seat yourself and we’ll help you when we help you.”

Maleficent groaned. Things were turning out even worse than expected.

All the corner seats had been taken by pirates who had made a habit of staying on the sidelines, forcing Maleficent and Hades to the center of the action.

“Tell me about your hobbies?” Hades said as he sat down on the reclaimed wood bench.

“You’re at my house every day; you should know I have no hobbies.”

“What about beforehand?”

“I mostly spent my days overseeing the Moors.”

“Sounds like a dreadful place.”

“No, no. It was completely free of human touch. Well, aside from Aurora.” Maleficent swallowed hard. She tried not to think about Aurora, unless her thoughts had to do with how hard her daughter was working to get her out. No point in mourning someone alive in her mind. “New topic.”

“I used to play the electric lyre. I had crowds of thousands of souls who couldn’t get enough of me, and not just because I broke up the monotony of the Asphodel Meadows.”

“I guess this,”--she gestured loosely to all of him-- “Was a choice then.”

“And a good one,” he said through his teeth “Can’t exactly live in a toga.”

“A toga?”

“Just a bedsheet and some pins”

“Does nobody have style outside the kingdom?”

“One person does.”

“Is it you?”

Hades paused “No…”

“Good,” Maleficent grinned “I guess that means it's me.”


	4. Chapter 4

The Isle’s first christening came sooner than expected. Lady Tremaine had told the world he was just premature, rambled on about how it must’ve been something in the water.

Maleficent looked down on the gremlin of a child, easily a whopping 10 pounds. 

Hades stood by her side, looking down at the child with his usual snarl.

“It’s ugly,” he said flatly.

“Perhaps the fat will disperse itself as he grows,” Maleficent added.

Lady Tremaine gave a proud grin, as if they had just praised the child as the messiah “I couldn’t have said it better myself.”

“I’d curse him to sleep a thousand years, but that would be too kind a gesture for the new parents,” she joked. The lack of magic on the Isle was, in its own way, a blessing. She never had to release vengeance on anyone to prove herself. She just road her persona across town then sat down with the other half of what some had dubbed the Isle’s “Power Couple”

Maleficent held out her hand and gave the baby a taxidermied tail of a rattlesnake. It’s sausage fingers gripped it and shook.

He was horrendous, yes, but she couldn’t stop herself from wanting one.

* * *

“Have you ever thought about having kids?” Maleficent said as they strolled back home.

“No.”

“Really?”

“Being an unaging god, I always assumed I had time.”

Maleficent switched her staff so that it was on their outside, the closest either could get to holding hands on the Isle without accusations of love and weakness.

“Aurora had happened by accident, so I never really thought about it either.” She paused. _Now or never_ she thought. “But I wouldn’t mind it.”

Hades stared for a moment “I mean, I guess I wouldn’t mind it either.”

* * *

Maleficent sat next to Hades, watching the news and eating the funky takeout from Shan Yu’s new restaurant. It tasted great, but the fact that she had ordered “Sweet and Sour Meat” was off-putting to say the least.

“We should get married,” Maleficent said as she put another bite into her mouth.

Hades gave a side eye “Like...eventually, or…”

“I don’t know,” Maleficent said “You’re the only person I don’t have to pretend with, and I’m the only person who actually likes you.”

“Pain and Panic like me.”

“Minions don’t count.”

Hades thought for a minute “This is about that conversation we had earlier, isn’t it?”

Maleficent turned back to the news. Something about a welfare program was rolling at the bottom of the screen for her to skim. She wasn’t sure if it was. She was just sure that she could see them on the couch tomorrow and would feel the same way when tomorrow came. 

“Because I am not going to marry you if it's just for kids.”

“It’s not just that.” she poked at her food “I just know that you make this place...tolerable.”

Hades laughed under his breath “How heartfelt.”

Maleficent swallowed “I want to be with you.”

Silence.

“Was that a proposal?”

Maleficent turned back to Hades. 

“Is it?”

Hades nodded “Okay.”—he took a bite of his something and broccoli— “I can live with this.”


	5. Chapter 5

“Do you take this man to be your husband?”

Maleficent rolled her eyes “What kind of stupid question is that? I’m here, aren’t I?”

Cheers rang out over the attendees. They decided to have their wedding in the streets. Neither were particularly religious, so they had asked Dr Facilier, the closest thing the Isle had to a druid, to do the ceremony.

“And do you, Hades, promise to see this woman through to the other side?”

“And she’ll rule with me in the Underworld.”

“So sappy,” Maleficent grinned.

“Then by the power vested in me by the both of you. I pronounce you man in wife.”

Applause ripped through the audience.

“Now get outta here!” 

Hades smiled as he let his arm out. Maleficent took his grasp. Attendees began to boo as they made their way down the town square to their castle. They gave gentle waves to their subjects.

They made their way up the steps, positively giddy. She was a newlywed. > _They_ were newlyweds.

The door shut behind them and she slid the lock into place.

“Tell me, husband,” she approached Hades “Is marriage as good as you remember?”

“I don’t know. It’s been awhile. Tell me, wife,” he squared up to his bride “Is marriage as good as you thought it’d be?”

“I don’t know. It’s only been a few minutes.”

Hades grinned “That’s the lady I married.” He leaned in for a kiss and got a peck from Maleficent.

“Gee, a whole peck,” he taunted.

Maleficent wasn’t big on affection, and neither was he. It was part of what made them work so well.

“I don’t want to peak on day one. How else am I to keep things unexpected?”

“I guess I have a lot to look forward to.”

“I guess, you,”—she plopped a kiss on his lips— “Do.”

Hades’s grin only grew wider “And she’s not so villainous after all.”

Maleficent gave her new husband a playful push. The past year had been unexpected, but at least she had him as a certainty.


End file.
